


Ghosts of the Past

by Hunter470



Series: The Commander and the Surfer [13]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Family, Family Drama, M/M, Ohana, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:14:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29121030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hunter470/pseuds/Hunter470
Summary: Danny gets an unexpected visitor...someone he never thought he'd see again.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: The Commander and the Surfer [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621147
Comments: 56
Kudos: 52





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No beta so I own all errors.
> 
> I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Danny was taking care of the girls when he heard the doorbell. He wasn’t expecting company so he figured it was another package for Tyler. It seemed like he was getting something sent to him at least once a week from his grandparents in Australia. Danny knew they missed him and this was their way of letting their grandson know they were thinking of him and he could hardly blame them. 

Since it was Saturday and everyone else had plans, Danny was home alone with his two six-month old girls and he really wished Steve was there to help him out. However, that was not the case. Steve was with his father working on the Marquis, which Danny never understood why they thought they could fix that thing. However, it made them both happy so he humored them. Plus, it gave them time to bond. Grace was at a movie with her friends and Charlie and Tyler were surfing. So, here he was home alone having to manage getting the girls down for a nap and now he had to answer the door. 

Once Danny made sure Allana and Olina were safe in their cribs, he walked downstairs to answer the door with Ranger at his side. He swung the door open and it felt like the air was sucked away from all around him. This was really not what he expected. 

“Hello, Daniel.” 

“Rachel? What the hell are you doing here?” 

“It’s nice to see you too, Danny.” Rachel said snidely. “May I come inside?”

“No, that’s not going to happen. Again, what are you doing here?” 

“I was in Hawaii on holiday with my mother and imagine my surprise when I saw you on the news last night. So, I tracked you down and came over to see you.” Rachel smiled but Danny wasn’t buying her story. 

“Well, you’ve seen me...so you can now go back to whatever level of hell you crawled out of.” 

“My my, such hostility even after all this time. It really doesn’t suit you.” 

“I really don’t care what you think. Just go. I’m busy.” Danny started to close the door when Rachel stuck her foot out stopping it from closing, which caused Ranger to growl.

Rachel heard the dog but didn’t care. “How are they?” 

“How are who?”

“Our children, Grace and Charlie?”

“First, they are my children and they haven’t been yours since you signed over your parental rights and left. Second, none of your god damned business.” 

“I’m their mother and I have a right to know how they are!”

“Their mother? That’s a good one.” Danny glared at the woman standing at his door. “You haven’t been their mother for over 10 years so don’t ever let me hear you claim to be their mother again.” 

“You can deny it all you want Danny but I am their mother and I want to see them.” 

“Yeah, that’s not happening. You did hear me mention you signing away your parental rights, correct? So, you will not be seeing my children.” 

“I’m sorry you feel that way because my lawyer informs me I have a strong case to get them back...full custody even.” 

“Ah...now it makes sense. Just happened to be in Hawaii, right. So how long have you been planning this?” 

“I don’t know what you mean.” 

“Don’t play dumb, it’s not a good look.” Danny glared at Rachel. “Oh, and I don’t care what your lawyer says, you’re not getting custody or visitation or whatever else you think you’re gonna get. You don’t have a case.”

“Well, my lawyer thinks I do especially since you forced me to sign away my parental rights.”

“Forced you? Forced you to give up your rights? That’s hysterical. You couldn’t sign those papers fast enough so you could run off and be with that idiot...what was his name? Oh yeah, Stan.” 

“That’s not true. You gave me no other choice.” Rachel’s looked at Danny as if she knew something he didn’t. 

“Wow! You really have a great imagination. No one’s going to believe you especially since you don’t have any proof.” 

“Daniel, believe what you must but you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” Rachel gave a polite smile then turned and walked away. 

Danny closed the door and leaned against the wall. His legs felt like they were going to give out but he managed to stay upright. Once he felt solid, he went upstairs to make sure both girls were still napping and then he sent Steve a text asking him to come home immediately. Of course, his phone started to ring. 

“Danny, what’s going on?”

“Steve, please come home. I really need you.” 

“Ok, you’re scaring me. Please tell me what happened.” 

“Just come home and I’ll tell you when you get here.”

“I’m on my way.” Steve ended the call and then told his father he had to go. 

Danny put his phone down and curled up on the sofa in the family room. He really didn’t know why Rachel was back and why she ever thought she was going to get custody. He needed Steve to ground him, to help him deal with Rachel. 

Danny must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew was being nudged awake. 

“Danny, wake up.” 

“I’m awake.” He rubbed his eyes.” You got here fast.”

“Yeah, I might have turned on the lights and siren.” Steve was expecting a rant on proper police procedure, but didn’t get one, which told Steve that whatever it was, it was bad. “Now, tell me what’s so important.” 

“She was here. At our house. That fucking bitch.” 

“Danny, who was here?”

“Rachel. That...that woman was here and I thought I was gonna lose it.”

“Rachel was here? What the hell did she want?” 

“She claimed that she happened to be in Hawaii on holiday and saw me on the news but then she dropped her bomb...she’s suing me for custody of Grace and Charlie.” 

“What? She can’t be serious! She can’t have a case after all these years?”

“She has some crazy idea that I forced her to sign over her rights and that will be enough for her to get custody.” 

“She’s delusional! Besides, it’s been over 10 years. Why hasn’t she tried to get custody before today?”

“No idea. To be honest, I think this might have something to do with her mother. I’m not sure what it is but I’m going to find out.”

“Why would you think that?” 

“I don’t know but Rachel never wanted to talk about her mother. In fact, I’ve never even spoke to or met her mother.”

“That’s odd. Why wouldn’t she want you to talk to her mother?” Steve was confused. 

“All she ever said was that she and her mother had a falling out and they didn’t talk to each other. It was just odd.” 

“Well, I don’t care about Rachel or her mother or what they want. Grace and Charlie are our kids and she’s not getting them.” 

“Oh, I’ve got no intention of letting her get away with this. I don’t care what proof she fabricates we’ll be able to disprove anything she whips up. She certainly doesn’t have one ounce of real evidence.” 

“Ok, we need to alert the team. There’s something not right about this and we’ll figure it out.” Steve pulled Danny into a hug and kissed the top of his head. 

“Thanks, babe. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” 

“You’re welcome...and I’ll always be here for you.” Steve tightened his hold on his husband. “So, are the girls asleep?” 

“Yeah, I put them down before Rachel got here and checked on them before I called you.”

“Good. How about we have some lunch and then we can let the team know what’s going on?”

“That sounds good. I want to call my parents too. They should know what’s going on as I’m sure they’ll want to testify if it comes to that.” Danny sighed as he thought about a long drawn out custody battle. “Steve, after everything Grace and Charlie have been through they don’t need to be dragged through this mess.” 

“Danny, we’re going to do everything we can to prevent that from happening. That woman is not getting our kids.” 

“I hope you’re right.” 

“Trust me. She’s going to regret ever messing with us.”

************

Rachel returned to her hotel and was greeted by her mother. The older woman was dressed as if she’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine. She looked at her daughter as she sipped her wine. 

“So, how did it go? Did you tell your low class ex-husband the news?” 

“Yes, mother I informed Daniel that I was suing him for full custody of the twins.” 

“Good, I can’t wait to see the look on that man’s face when we take what he loves just like he did to you all those years ago.” Amanda smiled. “He’s going to pay for what he did to you. I just wish you had told me the truth all those years ago.” 

“Well, you know now.” Rachel looked at her mother and started to question whether or not she should have admitted anything about the twins. God! How she wished Stan would have kept his mouth shut. Now, she was stuck having to go through with this plan, which was the last thing she wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Steve update the team and then talk to their parents. Grace, Charlie, and Tyler are told about Rachel showing up earlier in the day. Rachel and Stan discuss their plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta so I own all errors.
> 
> I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Danny and Steve finished their lunch and then called the team to update them on Rachel’s visit. The team was shocked that Rachel was in Hawaii but after Danny told them what she said, they were more than happy to help. 

Kono was particularity upset that Rachel dared to show her face after all these years. She had come to love Grace and Charlie as any true auntie would and no one was going to mess with her ohana. Danny and Steve truly loved that Kono cared so much for their kids. In fact, they loved how all their friends had come to be a part of their extended family. 

After they spoke to the team, who were all willing to do whatever it took to stop Rachel, Danny called his parents and Steve called his father to let him know the reason why Danny needed him to come home. 

Danny’s call with his parents was quite animated. To say that Clara and Eddie were upset would be selling things short. They were livid and there was even talk about getting the ‘family’ involved, which Danny stopped immediately. As much as he loved thinking about Rachel dealing with the more seedier part of the family tree, he knew that would only end badly. So, after much discussion, his parents agreed to only help testify in court and to not get the family involved. In fact, they decided to fly to Hawaii the following week to support their son and son-in-law. Plus, they would use any excuse to see their grandchildren and to send time with their newest, Tyler. 

************

A few hours later, Tyler, Charlie, and Grace all returned home and found their fathers on the lanai looking rather serious. 

“Danno, is everything ok?” Grace asked. 

“Kids, we’re glad you’re home. Why don’t you join us. We need to talk to you about something.” 

“Uh oh…that doesn’t sound good. What happened?” Charlie was definitely worried. 

“Earlier today I had a visitor and Steve and I thought it was important for you to know what was going on.” Danny looked at his kids and really hated that Rachel was putting him in this position. 

“Danno, who was here?” Tyler inquired. 

Danny took a deep breath before proceeding. “Grace and Charlie this mainly affects you.”

“Pops, just tell us already.” Charlie was getting impatient. 

“Ok, this will probably come as a shock. The person who was here earlier was your mother.” Danny and Steve watched as all the color drained from Grace and Charlie’s faces. 

“Pops, we don’t have a mother. Just the woman who gave birth to us.”

“Charlie’s right, the woman who was here is not our mother.” Grace looked at her father. 

“I’m confused. I didn’t think the twins mother was in the picture.” 

“Tyler, you’re correct, the woman who gave birth to Grace and Charlie is no longer in their lives. However, she is now in Hawaii.” 

“I’m sorry Danno, but I don’t care who was here. That woman means nothing to me.” 

“I’m with Gracie. She can take a leap into Kīlauea for all I care.” Charlie practically spit he was so angry. 

“Kids, you’re father and I know you don’t want anything to do with Rachel but there’s more that you should know.” Steve looked at Danny. 

“Danno?” Grace waited to hear what her father had to say. 

“Ok, I’m telling you this because I feel you’re old enough to know.” Danny took a deep breath working up his nerve to tell his children what Rachel said to him. “Now, please know that Steve and I aren’t worried because Rachel has no case.” 

“Dad, you’re not making any sense.” 

“I’m sorry, Grace. When Rachel was here she said she has a lawyer and is suing me for custody of you and your brother.” 

“Fuck that!”

“Charlie!” Danny said sternly. 

“I’m sorry, pops.” Charlie was pissed and didn’t care. “Who does she think she is coming here after leaving us ten years ago? No judge will give her custody.” 

“Danno, Charlie’s right, isn’t he? She can’t come here now and try to take us away.”

“Grace, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen. Your dad and I spoke to the team and they’re already looking into Rachel’s claim. I’ve also spoken to your Nona and Papa and they will help too.” Danny looked at his kids and knew they were upset and perhaps a little scared. “I know this is a shock and if you have any questions or want to talk, we’re both here for you.” 

“Pops, since we’re 16, won’t we be able to talk to the judge and tell him what we want?” 

“I don’t know Charlie, but often times the judge does talk to the children. We’ll make sure to ask our lawyer.” 

“Dad, can’t you ask Aunt Cath to investigate Rachel? I know she’s up to something. She never cared about us before so why now?” 

“Gracie, aren’t you smart.” Steve smiled at his daughter. “Danno and I thought the same thing about her motives not being so genuine. However, you’re suggestion about having Cath investigate...that’s brilliant.” Steve smiled. 

“Thanks, dad.” Grace smiled. 

“Ok, any other questions or thoughts?”

“Um, I know I’ve only been here a couple years, but I’d like to help if I can.” 

“Thank you, Tyler.” Danny smiled and was so proud of his son. “For now, we need you to support your brother and sister. They’ll need their big brother.” 

“Agreed.” Charlie and Grace both replied. 

“Ok, how about we table this conversation for now. Your sisters will be waking up soon and your dad and I need to change and feed them.” Danny hoped to distract the kids with a bit of normalcy. 

“Dad, can I help you with the girls?” 

“Sure, Grace. I’d like that.” Steve smiled at his daughter. 

“While you two are doing that, I’ll get their food ready and whip something up for dinner for the rest of us.” Danny smiled. “Boys, why don’t you put your boards away and then get cleaned up. Oh, and Ranger needs some exercise.” 

“We’re on it, Danno!” Tyler grinned and then he and Charlie went out to his jeep to get their boards. 

“C’mon, Gracie. Let’s go get your sisters.” Steve smiled and then he and Grace went upstairs. 

Danny was left alone in the kitchen and started getting the girls food ready. He was so thankful for his family and he knew that no matter what Rachel tried. They would be able to handle it and then send her sorry ass back to London.

************

Tyler and Charlie sat by the pool after putting away their boards and playing with Ranger. Tyler felt bad for his brother and hoped that his dad and Steve would be able to take care of this matter before it blew up. 

“Charlie, how’re you doing?” 

“I’m good. Why?” 

“I don’t know…maybe because of everything Danno and Steve just told us.”

“Oh that…I’m fine. I know Danno and Dad will take care of it…that woman is not going to get custody of Grace and me.” Charlie was doing his best to be strong but if Tyler kept asking him how he was doing, he was going to lose it big time.

“Well, you know I’m here for you if you need to talk. I’ve got your back, bro.”

Charlie looked at his brother and couldn’t hold back his tears. He was quickly pulled into a hug by Tyler as the younger teen continued to cry. After a few minutes, Charlie backed away and wiped the tears from his cheeks. 

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to cry all over you.” 

“It’s ok. That’s what I’m here for…whatever you need.” 

“Thanks, Ty. I’m just so pissed right now. How dare that woman think she can just waltz back into our lives and think she’s going to get custody.” 

“Based on what you’ve told me about her, she sounds like a real piece of work.” 

“You can say that again. I mean, what kind of woman abandons her 6 year old kids? Grace and I didn’t even know what was going on. We both blamed ourselves for her leaving. Thank god Danno helped us understand that we didn’t do anything wrong and that it wasn’t our fault.” 

“Danno really is the best, isn’t he? I’m so glad I found him and that you all accepted me into your family.” 

“We’re lucky to have you, Ty. I’m glad you’re my brother.” 

“Thanks, I’m glad too.” Tyler looked at Charlie and could see he was still wound up. “Hey, how about we go hit the bag for a bit? Should help you relax.” 

“That sounds like a great idea.” 

Charlie and Tyler got up and then made their way to the gym to work out. 

*************

Steve and Grace walked into the girl’s room and noticed that they were both awake and babbling as they looked at each other. It even appeared that they were having a conversation. 

When the girls noticed their dad and sister enter the room, they stopped babbling and smiled at the two older people. As Steve and Grace approached their cribs, they started to laugh and reach up. 

“Hey there my little princesses. You’re certainly happy.” Steve smiled at his daughters as they continued to laugh. “Grace, you grab Allana and I’ll get Olina.” 

“You got it.” Grace reached into Allana’s crib and lifted her up and then gave her a kiss on the cheek, which was met with more laughs. Knowing she would need to be changed, Grace brought her sister over to one of the changing tables and started to take care of the little girl’s diaper. 

Steve looked at Olina and then lifted her up. “Who’s ready to get changed and then eat their dinner? That’s right, my little princess, what’s who.” Steve kissed Olina’s cheek and then carried her over to the other changing table and took care of her wet diaper. 

Once both girls were changed and in drier clothes, Steve and Grace sat down on the small sofa in the girl’s room. Allana and Olina were sitting on their laps facing their dad and sister as they smiled. 

“You know, I wish I was in their place right now.” 

“What do you mean, Gracie?” 

“I dunno…things would just be easier if I was a baby. Then I wouldn’t have to deal with this whole situation with that woman.” 

“Yeah, that would certainly be easier.” Steve agreed. “But you want to know what I think?” Grace nodded yes. “I think you and Charlie are stronger than you think and you’ll both get through this and you’ll be fine.” Steve tried to reassure his daughter. 

“Thanks…and you’re probably right. However, I’m more concerned for Danno. He’s the best father and has always taken care of us even when it wasn’t easy…like after that woman abandoned us. I don’t want to think about what would happen if she did win and they took us away from him.” Grace had tears in her eyes thinking about how hurt her father would be if that should happen. 

“Grace, I won’t let it happen. There is no way anyone, especially Rachel, will ever take you away from us. I won’t let that woman hurt your father.” 

Grace looked at Steve and could hear the seriousness in his voice, which made her feel better. “Good.” 

“Ok, how about we get these little ones downstairs? I bet they are hungry. Plus, they will definitely help to cheer up your father. They can’t get enough of that man.” 

“Yeah, Danno has that effect on kids. They just can’t resist him.” 

“Oh, I know that feeling.” Steve waggled his eyebrows. 

“Dad! Gross!” Grace laughed followed by her sisters who didn’t want to be left out of the laughter. 

“On that note, let’s go.” 

Steve and Grace carried the girls downstairs so they could eat and spend time with the rest of the family. 

*************

“Yes, Stanley. I saw Daniel earlier today. Everything’s in motion.”

“Good. I confirmed with our lawyer that the papers will be served Monday morning.”

“I still don’t like this plan. You know I never wanted those kids.” 

“I don’t want them either but we don’t have a choice.” Stan sighed. “Just stick to what we agreed upon and don’t deviate. It will work. Trust me.” 

“You better be right about this…otherwise, we’re screwed.” 

“Rachel, stop worrying so much. We didn’t spend all that time putting the pieces in place to have it fall apart now.” 

“You’re right.” 

“Of course I am…now, come here.” Stan smiled as Rachel moved closer to him as he pulled her into a kiss. They ended the kiss and laughed as they thought about how they were going to get everything they’ve always wanted. It was almost too easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If you like, feel free to leave kudos or comments...they are always appreciated but not necessary.
> 
> Cheers!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Steve try to distract the kids by having a day of family, fun, and food. Charlie and Grace discuss the Rachel situation. Tyler gets a call from a good friend. Rachel and Stan talk and we learn a little bit more about their situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I raised the rating to explicit because of a short scene between Danny and Steve. It can be skipped if that's not your thing. 
> 
> No beta so I own all errors.
> 
> I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Sunday turned out to be a day filled with family, friends, and fun. Danny and Steve decided that the kids could use a distraction from all the Rachel drama so they spent the day at the zoo followed by a barbecue at their house with their ohana. 

Although it was tempting to talk about Rachel and the custody case, they knew it could wait. There would have plenty of time to dig into the matter during the upcoming week. 

The afternoon was spent talking, laughing, and eating. They loved having their friends and family over and today was no exception. Their guests stated to leave around 6:00pm with Brody, Catherine, Jason, and Bryan being the last to leave. After everyone had left Danny and Tyler started cleaning up the kitchen. Steve had put the girls to bed an hour earlier and was now watching a movie in the family room with Grace and Charlie. 

Tyler watched his dad and knew he as probably obsessing about Rachel and the custody suit. “Danno, how’re you doing?”

“I’m ok, Ty.”

“Yeah, why don’t I believe you?” Tyler might have only known his father for a couple of years but he could tell when he was hiding his true feelings. 

“I don’t know but maybe you know your old man better than he thinks you do.” Danny laughed. 

“So?” 

“What? Do you want to hear that I’m so angry I could...well, I’d rather not say what I’d like to do.”

“Well, you can’t hold it all in...it’s not healthy.”

“Hey! Who’s the parent here?” Danny joked. 

“I’m just worried about you, dad.”

“I appreciate your concern but I’m really ok.” Danny took a breath. “Really, I’m ok…and do you know why I’m ok? It’s because I have the best family supporting me and I know we’ll all be fine.” 

“Ok…but you know I’m here if you want to talk.” Tyler smiled at his father.

“I know…thank you.” Danny looked at Tyler and was so thankful that they found each other. He loved having his oldest son in his life. “Now, what do you say we finish up so we can join the others? I’m tired after all of today’s activities.”

“Sounds good, Danno.” Tyler smiled and then bumped shoulders with his father as they continued with their task of cleaning up the kitchen. 

************

Several hours later, Steve entered his and Danny’s bedroom after checking on the girls one last time. He closed the door and then heard the shower running and made his way towards their en suite as he removed his shirt and shorts. 

He entered the bathroom and watched Danny standing under the spray from the shower head. The way the water cascaded down Danny’s muscular back and then over his perfect ass made Steve smile. He loved watching his husband lathering himself up and was so distracted he didn’t hear Danny talking. 

“What did you say?”

“I said, staring at me in the shower is creepy. So, why don’t you just get in here already?” Danny smiled mischievously. 

Steve quickly removed his boxer briefs, opened the shower door, and moved next to his soaped up husband. Danny reached out and grabbed Steve, pulled him into a hug, and then gave him a kiss. 

They stood there for several minutes, under the water, making out, which made Steve want to do more...he wanted to take Danny’s mind off everything that happened with Rachel. 

They soon parted lips and Steve moved his hands down Danny’s hairy chest and lightly pinched his nipples, which caused Danny to let out a soft moan. Steve’s hand made its way down his husband’s body until he held his cock in his hand. “Looks like you have a bit of problem, Danno.” Steve smiled. 

“Well, are you going to help me out or what, SuperSEAL?”

“I think I can do that.” Steve looked at Danny’s hard cock and smiled. “You know I never get tired of how big you are.” 

“Well, you’re no slouch in that area either.” Danny reached for his husband’s cock, and stroked it until it was as hard as his. 

Danny grabbed the body wash and squeezed out a nice amount on Steve’s chest working it up into a lather and then rubbed it all over his body, including his hard cock. At the same time, Steve was slowly stroking Danny. Both men were now moaning and neither was going to last long. 

“Danny, I’m not going to last if you keep that up.”

“Good.” Danny smiled. “I’m not going to last much longer myself.” 

Danny looked into Steve’s eyes and then pulled him into a deep kiss as they continued to stroke each other. 

“That’s it, Danny. Feels good.” Steve moaned. 

“Oh yeah…I’m close. Keep going…” Danny begged. 

They kept pumping each other’s dicks over and over until they both finally went over the edge. Both Danny and Steve moaned as they shot rope after rope of come coating each other’s cocks. 

Danny felt like his legs were going to give out so he leaned into Steve’s chest as the water ran down his body. Steve held on to his husband as he rinsed the come off of them. After they finished rinsing off, they dried themselves, made their way into their bedroom, and then crawled into bed. 

“Thanks, babe. I really needed that tonight.”

“I’m glad to be of service.” Steve joked as he pulled Danny closer and could feel the smaller man’s body relax as he backed into his arms.  
“Mmmmm…feels nice. I love you.” 

“I love you, too.” Steve kissed the top of Danny’s head and then they both fell asleep.

************

Grace heard a soft knock at her door and had a feeling it was Charlie. She opened the door and saw her brother standing in front of her looking like he had something on his mind. 

“Hey!” What’s up?” 

“Um, may I come in?” 

“Sure.” Grace smiled as her brother walked past her and watched as he sat on her bed. She closed the door and then joined him. “So, what’s up?” 

“I couldn’t fall asleep.”

“Let me guess, Rachel.”

“Yep…Why is she here? Why now? I’m so angry, Gracie.” 

“I know. I am too.” Grace put her hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Tyler said you practically destroyed the heavy bag earlier.” 

“Yeah. I really beat the crap out of it too...felt good.” 

“I’m sure it did.” 

“I can’t believe she’s here after what she did to Danno and to us. She can’t possibly think we’d ever forgive her or would ever want to live with her.” 

“I really don’t know what that woman thinks but I suppose we’ll have to wait until Danno and dad figure out what she’s up to.” 

“Do we really?” Charlie asked. 

“Do we really what? What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“I don’t think you’re gonna like what I’m suggesting, but what if we didn’t just sit around and wait?”

“What do you mean?” Grace looked at her brother and tried to figure out what he was talking about. 

“Maybe we should find her and tell her to leave us alone. Maybe if she hears it from us she’ll realize that we don’t want her in our lives.”

“Charlie, I’m sure Danno wouldn’t want us to go see her on our own…especially without him knowing.” 

“I don’t care. I’m not going to sit around and do nothing.” 

“I get that but do you really want to see her?”

“Hell no, but she has to know we don’t want her in our lives.” Charlie insisted. 

“I’m gonna say it again, Danno won’t like it if we see her. So, I’m not on board with this plan and you need to forget all about it.” 

“I’m not going to forget it…I’m going to find her and if you don’t want to help, stay out of my way. Oh, and you better not rat me out to Danno and dad. Just keep your mouth shut.”

“Charlie, you can’t ask me to keep that secret. That’s not fair.” 

“Then, go with me. Please?” Charlie pleaded with his sister. 

Grace looked at her brother and knew there was no way to change his mind. He was going to try and find Rachel and she knew if he did, it wouldn’t end well. So, she only had one choice. “Fine, I’ll go with you but I don’t like it.” 

“Thanks. You’re the best.” 

“Yeah, I’m not sure about that…So, when should we do this?” 

“Tomorrow. We’ll make it look like we’re going to school then we’ll ditch and go find her.” 

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” Grace saw the look of determination on Charlie’s face and knew he was determined to find Rachel. “Ok, tomorrow it is. How are we going to find her?”

“Well, Danno always told us she liked fancy things so we’ll check out the nice hotels by the beach. I bet she’s staying at one of those.” 

“Sounds good. Now, go get some sleep we have a busy day tomorrow.” 

“Ok. Thanks again Gracie. I just know this will work.” 

“I hope it does…Either way, I have your back.” Grace smiled. “Go already.” 

Charlie left Grace’s room and she let out a loud sigh as she thought about all the ways this plan could go wrong. One thing she knew for sure, she was dreading seeing that woman. How was this her life? 

************

The sound of his phone ringing pulled Tyler’s attention away from the baseball game he was watching. He looked at the display and smiled when he saw that it was Nahele, who he’d become good friends with after he moved to Hawaii. 

“Hey, bro!” 

“Howzit?” 

“Just watching the game I recorded. What’s up?”

“Just calling to check on you. Tani told me there’s some drama with Grace and Charlie’s mother showing up in Hawaii.” 

“How’d she know about that?” 

“Junior told Tani after your dad updated the team the other day.”

“Ah…and yeah, it’s been a bit crazy around here. Grace and Charlie’s mother is threatening to sue Danno for custody.”

“Man, that’s lolo.” 

“No doubt. I feel bad for them and for my dad. They don’t deserve this.”

“I’m sorry, brah. That’s rough.” 

“Yeah, but I know Danno and Steve will stop her. They won’t let her get away with breaking up our family.” 

“Well, I’ve seen your dad and Steve in action and I don’t doubt that they will stop her.” Nahele paused. “If there’s anything you need, let me know. You know I’ve got your back.” 

“Thanks, Nahele. You’re a good friend.”

“What’re talking about? I’m the best friend you’ve got.” Nahele laughed. 

“Uh huh…that you are my friend. Thanks again.”

‘Anytime. Well, I’m gonna let you go…I’m opening the shop tomorrow and should get some sleep.” 

“Ok. I’ll catch you later.” Tyler ended the call and wasn’t looking forward to the week ahead. Things were probably going to get a bit crazy but he was thankful that he had his family and friends to lean on and he’s also be there to offer them support when needed. 

************

Rachel sipped her tea as she thought about how messed up her life had become. Although she truly did love Danny at the beginning of their relationship, everything changed when she got pregnant. She never wanted kids but that’s where she found herself 16 years ago. 

After the twins were born, she tried to feel something for them but there was nothing. She felt trapped and didn’t know how to get out of her predicament. She had no money and she wasn’t talking to her mother so her options were limited. Thank god Stan came along...he was her ticket out of the prison her life had become. 

“Sweetheart, is everything ok?” 

“Stan, I didn’t hear you come in.” 

“Sorry. Are you ok?”

“Yes, I was just thinking about my life before you. How trapped and alone I felt.” 

“I wish you wouldn’t think about that. You know it only makes you sad.” 

“You’re right. I need to stay focused on the here and now...and our future.” 

“That’s right.” Stan looked at his wife and wondered if she was still on board with everything. “You’re not having second thoughts are you?” 

“No, besides, it’s too late to turn back now...we’re out of options.” 

“You know I’m sorry that it’s come to this. I should have known better.” 

“I know…but it is what it is and once I have custody of those kids, we’ll have everything we need.” 

Stan nodded his head as he looked at Rachel. He almost felt bad that he had kept parts of the plan from her but it was necessary and it would all be worth it in the end. Soon, they would have everything they dreamed of and it would all be thanks to those kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If you like, feel free to leave kudos or comments...they are always appreciated but not necessary.
> 
> Cheers!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Charlie ditch school and try to find Rachel. Meanwhile, Danny gets a call from the kids' school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta so I own all errors.
> 
> I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Danny sat at his desk and wished that it was his morning to stay home with the girls. Instead, he was the one at the office while Steve took care of their daughters. 

After the girls were born, Danny and Steve decided to take turns taking care of Allana and Olina. So, one of them would stay home in the morning and then they’d switch for the afternoon. At first, it was a bit rough working half days but after a couple of weeks, it really did become routine and gave both men a chance to bond with their precious bundles of joy. Plus, at some point, one of Kono and Chin’s cousins would start watching the girls and Danny and Steve wanted this time to enjoy raising their girls before they would both have to be back at work full time. 

As he worked on Five-0’s budget, Danny couldn’t help but think about Rachel and what she was planning. Why was she here trying to get custody of Grace and Charlie? Why now? She had to be up to something and, with the help of the team, they were going to figure it out. In fact, that’s the first thing they talked about when they all showed up at HQ this morning. 

Danny shared what he knew, which wasn’t much since he still hadn’t received anything from Rachel’s lawyer. However, the team decided to start by digging into Rachel’s life in London, including the lives of both her mother and her husband, Stan Edwards. There had to be a reason why Rachel was trying to get custody after all this time. 

Thankfully, they had met Harry Langford a couple of year ago when he was on a case in Hawaii and Danny and Steve had become good friends with the man. So, he reached out to the former British spy to see what he could find out on his end. After Danny ended his call, he needed to work on submitting some budget information to the governor. 

An hour or so passed when Danny heard a knock on his door. “Kono, what’s up?”

“Hey boss, do you have a minute?”

“Sure, what did you need?”

“I was thinking that we should keep an eye on Rachel while she’s in town. Based on what you’ve told me about her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she showed up at Grace and Charlie’s school or at your house again.” 

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Why don’t you and Meka get on that. I don’t know where she’s staying but I’m sure with your connections and skills, you’ll be able to find her easily enough.” Danny smiled. 

“Well, I’ve already located her just in case you said yes to my idea.” 

“Ok, you’re one scary woman Kono Kalakaua. Remind me to never cross you.” Danny should have known that Kono already located his ex. “So, where is she staying? Somewhere nice I’m guessing?”

“She’s staying in a suite at the Kahala.”

“Not surprising. She always had expensive tastes and once she was with that loser Stan, she could afford much more than we could on my salary.” 

“Well, she’s an idiot for choosing money over you, boss. You’re a keeper.” 

“Why thank you, Kono. You’re good for the ego.” Danny laughed. 

“Anytime. Ok, I’m gonna grab Meka and get over to the Kahala.” 

“Keep me posted.”

“You got it.” Kono smiled and then left Danny’s office as he went back to working on Five-0’s budget. 

************

“Thanks, Ty.”

“Yeah, thanks bro.” 

“You’re welcome. I’ll pick you up later. Have a good day.” 

“You too.” Charlie smiled at his brother. 

Grace and Charlie watched as Tyler’s jeep disappeared down the road. They always liked when he dropped them off at school, which was a normal thing ever since he moved to Hawaii. Danny had wanted him to stay on campus but Tyler wanted to be closer to the family so he could get to know them better. Of course, Danny didn’t fight him since he wanted him around as much as possible. 

So, after talking to Steve, they decided to convert the space above their garage into a studio apartment for the young man. It would offer the best of both worlds – he’d have his own space with a small kitchen, living/sleeping area, and bathroom along with his own entrance allowing him the privacy any 18 year old would want. Plus, he was close enough to spend family dinners together. It really was a great arrangement and filled both Tyler’s and Danny’s need to bond as father and son. 

“Ok, I think it’s safe. Let’s get to the bus stop.” Charlie and Grace walked away from the school grounds making sure no one saw them. 

After successfully ditching school, Grace and Charlie took the bus down to the beach where all the nice hotels were located. They got off near the Hilton Hawaiian Village and walked down to the water to start figuring out where Rachel was staying. Thankfully, they heard their father telling his team Rachel’s married name, which they needed when calling hotels. 

“Charlie, are you still sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to back out.”

“Yes, I’m sure. We need to tell that woman to go away and that there’s no way we’ll ever leave Danno, dad, Tyler, and our baby sisters.” 

“Ok, if we do this, then we need to have a plan.” Grace looked at her brother with a very serious expression on her face. 

“Fine, what are you proposing?” 

“Well, when we find out what hotel she’s at, we need to figure out how we’re going to get her room number. I don’t think the front desk will just give it out.” 

“Crap! I didn’t think about that. We could just wait in the lobby until she shows up.”

“Yeah, but we could be there all day before she shows and we need to get back to school before Tyler picks us up.” Grace knew Charlie’s plan was full of holes but wanted to support him as much as she could. “How about we figure out what hotel first and then go from there?”

“Ok, let start making calls and if we don’t get a hit, we’ll go back to school before Tyler shows up to get us.”

“Sounds good.”

************

Danny had just emailed his budget information to the governor when his phone rang. He looked at the display and noticed it was the kid’s school. 

“Commander Williams-McGarrett.” 

“Hello. This is Mrs. Lee from KuKui High School.” 

“Hi. May I ask what this is about? Did something happen to either Grace or Charlie?” 

“Well, that’s what I’d like to know. You see, neither of them showed up at school today and we didn’t get a call that they would be absent, which I’m hoping was an oversight. Anyway, I wanted to make sure they were ok.” 

“Hold on…are you saying that my children are not at school? I know for a fact that my son, Tyler, dropped them off this morning.” 

“I’m sorry, Commander but neither Grace or Charlie were in their first period classes.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. Did you see if their friends had seen or spoken to them?”

“Yes, we asked several of their classmates and nobody recalls seeing them before school or in the building.” 

“Ok. My husband and I will look into this. Thank you, Mrs. Lee.”

“You’re welcome. I do hope that everything is ok.” Mrs. Lee ended the call leaving Danny confused. 

Danny grabbed his phone and sent texts to both Grace and Charlie and then called Tyler. 

“Hey, dad! What’s up?”

“I just got a call from Grace and Charlie’s school and they said they never showed up this morning. You did drop them off, correct?”

“What? Yes, of course I did. I left them out front like I always do.” 

“Ok, I figured you did but I wanted to make sure.” Danny sighed. “I don’t like this one bit.”

“Dad? Do you need me to come to Five-0?”

“No, but can you go home and watch your sisters? I know Steve’s not going to sit around and wait while Grace and Charlie are missing.”

“You bet. I’ve got an A in biology so I can miss a class.”

“Thanks, son.” 

“No need to thank me…we’re family…that’s what we do.” Tyler smiled. “Tell Steve I’ll be there in about 20 minutes.” 

“Will do.” Danny ended the call and then called Steve.

“Hey, Danny. What’s up?” 

“The kid’s school called and they didn’t show up for their first period and haven’t been seen this morning.” 

“What? How’s that possible? Didn’t Tyler drop them off?”

“I just spoke to him and he said he dropped them off just like he always does.”

“Ok, then where are they?” 

“That’s a good question. I’m going to have the team look into this right away.” 

“I want to help but I’ve got the girls.” Steve added. 

“I figured you’d want to be here so Tyler will be there in 20 minutes to watch the girls for us.”

“Ok. I’ll be ready and then I’ll head to HQ.” 

“Sounds good. I’ll let you know if I hear about the kids. I love you.”

“I love you too. See you soon.” 

Danny ended the call and exhaled loudly. What the hell was going on? First, Rachel comes to town and threatens to take his kids away and now they were missing. She better not have showed up at Grace and Charlie’s school like Kono mentioned earlier. Danny swore that if Rachel had anything to do with this she would pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If you like, feel free to leave kudos or comments...they are always appreciated but not necessary.
> 
> Cheers!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace and Charlie skip school and look for Rachel. Danny gets a call while at work and learns his kids never showed up at school that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta so I own all errors.
> 
> I don't own Hawaii Five-0 or any the characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Danny, Chin, and Junior were standing around the smart table when Steve arrived at HQ.

“Hey, guys!” 

“You made it. Did the girls fuss when you started to leave?” Danny asked knowing that the girls typically got upset when Steve left for the day. 

“Nope. Once they saw Tyler…well, you know how they are when he’s around. It’s like we all disappear.” Steve laughed. 

“Yeah...He does have a way with them…although I’m sure it’s his accent. Girls always go crazy for an Australian accent.” Danny smiled. 

“So, have you located the kids yet?” Steve asked the group. 

“Not yet, babe. We tried to pull up the GPS on their phones but they must have turned it off. I do have another way.” Danny hesitated and Steve noticed. 

“Danny, what aren’t you telling us?” 

“Ok, after the kids were kidnapped by Jared Ross, I had Toast install a secret tracker on Grace and Charlie’s phones.” Danny noticed the odd looks on everyone’s faces. “What? Did you think that after I almost lost them I’d leave anything to chance?” 

“Danny, it’s ok, you did the right thing. Hell, I’m disappointed I didn’t think of that.” Steve squeezed his husband’s hand. “So, how do we track them?”

“Toast installed an app that allows me to track their phones.” Danny opened the app and then shared it through the smart table so they could all see the results. “There.” Danny pointed to the screen. 

Chin zoomed in on the location. “It looks like they’re at their near the Kahala.” 

“Ok, let’s go.” Steve turned and grabbed Danny and was practically dragging him away from the table. 

“Steve, hold on.” Danny stopped causing his husband to turn around.

“Danny, what’s up?” 

“Kono and Meka are already at the Kahala.” 

“Why would they be there?” Steve looked confused. 

“Earlier this morning Kono suggested that we should keep an eye on Rachel to make sure she didn’t show up unexpectedly again. I thought it was a great idea so I told her to find Rachel and to track her movements. Of course, Kono being Kono, already knew Rachel was at the Kahala so she and Meka went down there to conduct surveillance.”

“Ok, that’s great. Let’s go…We can call them from the car and ask them to watch for the kids.” Steve started to move towards the door.

“I’m right behind you, babe.” 

************

“Charlie, she’s at the Kahala.” 

“They said that there’s a Rachel Edwards staying there?”

“Yep, I spoke to the front desk and asked for Rachel Edward’s room and then they put me through. When she answered, I hung up. So, she’s there.”

Charlie pointed to the hotel across from the beach. “Looks like we don’t have far to go so we’d better move fast. I’ve got about 10 missed calls and countless text messages from Danno, dad, and Tyler. They must know something’s up by now.” 

“Yeah, my phone’s been blowing up all morning. Why didn’t we go to first period and then ditch? That would have given us more time.” Grace sounded annoyed. “I told you this wasn’t a good idea. Danno is going to be so mad. I bet he’s sending the cops for us.”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now so we’d better hurry.” Charlie looked at his sister and knew she was right but they’d come too far to turn back now.

The teens quickly walked to the hotel’s entrance and remembered that they stayed there one time when they first got to Hawaii. Danno brought them there to swim with the dolphins, which was so much fun. After looking around, they decided to sit down in the lobby to figure out their next move. 

“Gracie, doesn’t your friend’s older sister work here? Remember, we met her when we stayed here with Danno. Maybe she can get us a room number?” 

“That’s right. I forgot about Lena’s sister. Let me send her a text to see if she’s working.”

Unbeknownst to Grace and Charlie, they’d been spotted by Kono and Meka, who’d been at the hotel to keep an eye on Rachel. They were confused when they saw the teens in the lobby because they should be in school. 

“Kono, what are they doing here?”

“Good question. I don’t see Danny or Steve so they must be here on their own. I’m gonna call Danny.” Kono reached for her phone just as it started to ring. “Hey, Danny. I was about to call you. Grace and Charlie are here at the Kahala.”

“Yeah, we know, which is why I was calling you.”

“How did you know they were here?” 

“Long story. Needless to say, their school called when they didn’t show up this morning so the team and I figured out where they were. Anyway, Steve and I are on our way now. Can you please take the kids to Kamekona’s and we’ll meet you there? I don’t want them to accidentally bump into Rachel.”

“You got it boss. See you soon.” 

“Let me guess, they’re on their way.” 

“You got it. Danny wants us to take the kids to Kamekona’s and they’ll meet us there.”

“Copy that.”

Kono and Meka got up and walked over to where Grace and Charlie were sitting. The teens saw the two Five-0 members approaching them and knew they were busted. 

“Autie Kono, Uncle Meka, what are you doing here?” Grace asked trying not to sound like they’d just been caught doing something they shouldn’t. 

“I think the better question is what are you two doing here? Shouldn’t you be in school?” Kono asked the guilty looking teens.

“Yes.” Grace and Charlie both replied knowing there was no point in lying. 

“How did you find us?” 

“To be honest, we weren’t looking for you. We were here to keep an eye on Rachel. Imagine our surprise when we saw you two.” 

“So, what was your plan exactly?” Meka asked. 

“We just wanted to see that woman and tell her to leave us alone. We don’t want her in our lives.” Charlie tried to explain why they were trying to find Rachel.

“Charlie, we get that you want to help but you might make things worse for your dad since we don’t know what Rachel’s up to yet…who knows what she wants.”

“Kono’s right. You two could have gotten into some serious trouble. We know Rachel wants custody of you so who’s to say how far she’d go to make that happen? Also, what would it look like to her if you showed up at her hotel alone when you should be in school? She could use that against your dad…make a case that he’s a bad father.” Meka saw that Grace and Charlie were starting to realize what a bad idea it was to try and see Rachel. 

“I never thought of it that way.” Charlie felt horrible that his actions could have made things worse. 

“Yeah, neither did I. We’re sorry.” Grace was kicking herself because she should have listened to her gut and stopped her brother. 

“Grace, Charlie, I can certainly understand you wanting to help, but you really need to let your dads handle this situation.” Kono knew the kids felt bad so she tried not to be too hard on them as she was sure their fathers would be doing that themselves. “Ok, your dads are on their way and asked us to take you to Kamekona’s and they’ll meet us there. What do you say we go wait for them?”

“Ok. I’m sure we’re in a ton of trouble so this will be fun.” 

“I did tell you this was a bad idea.” Grace said smugly. 

“Great, just what I needed…‘I told you so’…thanks.” Charlie said sarcastically.

“Sorry, bro…”

“It’s ok, Gracie. You did try to warn me.” 

“Yes, I did but I shouldn’t throw it back in your face.” 

“Thanks for saying that but now we need to face the music.” Charlie knew his father was going to be upset but he hoped that he wouldn’t be too hard on him. After all, he was just trying to help. 

“Ok, let’s go.” Kono and Meka followed as the two teens left the hotel and made their way to Kono’s car. 

************

As the teens walked out of the hotel with Kono and Meka, Rachel was making her way to the concierge desk. She glanced up and spotted the group as they left the hotel and thought the kids looked familiar – a boy with blond hair and a girl with brown hair who appeared to be in their mid-teens. Rachel saw the two for only 10 seconds so she didn’t get a good look at them but wondered if that could have been Grace and Charlie. If it was, why were they there? Who was the man and woman with them? Rachel didn’t think it was them but still wondered if it was as she approached he concierge. 

“Good morning. How may I help you?”

“Good morning. Yes, those two teenagers who just left, do you know who they were?” Rachel asked trying to charm the concierge so he’d be open to telling her what she wanted to know. 

“No, ma’am. I don’t think they’re guests of the hotel. They came in earlier and sat in the lobby by themselves until, what I assume were their parents, showed up. Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I just thought they looked familiar.” Rachel smiled politely. 

“Was there anything else I could help you with today?”

“Yes, I was hoping you could give me some recommendations on restaurants in the area.”

“I’d be happy to help. Will this be for a special occasion?”

“I certainly hope so.” Rachel smiled thinking about taking her kids to dinner once she had custody. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Danny’s face when the judge awarded her custody of their kids. She was so close to getting everything she wanted and nothing was going to get in her way.

************

“Danny, slow down. Kono and Meka have the kids so there’s no need to be driving so fast.”

“Oh, that’s a good one…you telling me to slow down. Funny how it’s ok for you to drive like a maniac but I don’t get a little leeway when our kids are in danger.” Danny really wasn’t mad at Steve…however he was furious at his kids. 

“Danny, the kids aren’t in danger.” Steve tried to remain calm. “You know, I’m upset too so you don’t need to take it out on me.” 

“I’m sorry, babe. I just don’t know what they were thinking. Seriously, how did they think talking to Rachel was going to help?” 

“Danny, I’m sure they thought they could get through to her. I actually think it was quite brave of them to try.”

“Perhaps, but also a whole lot of stupid. We don’t even know Rachel’s end game…what if she tried to turn them against me or god forbid, she kidnapped them?” 

“Ok, stop with the ‘what if’ scenarios. They’re fine, so just don’t go there.”

“Easy for you to say since they’re not your kids.” Danny knew he screwed up as soon as the words left his mouth. He didn’t mean to say what he did…of course they were Steve’s kids too. He glanced at Steve, who looked like he was stabbed in the heart. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I’m a total ass. I didn’t mean it…you’re as much their father as I am.”

“Danny, I can’t say I’m not hurt by what you said but I understand. You’ve been their father their entire lives and they’re your babies…but you know I love them like they’re my own too. Hell, I adopted them to show you how much I loved them.”

“I know…like I said, I’m an ass. Can you forgive me?”

“Of course, but don’t ever say that again. I love them as much as you love Allana and Olina. The girls might be mine biologically, but you’re their Danno. You even adopted them like I did Grace and Charlie. All the kids are ours and that includes Tyler. 

“You’re right. I’m an idiot.” 

“No, you were just freaking out and spoke before thinking.” Steve took Danny’s hand and held it in his and smiled. “I still love you.”

“I love you too.” Danny really felt horrible but he knew that Steve and he would be fine. They’d weathered worse storms than this one. 

Danny pulled into the parking lot near Kamekona’s shrimp truck and saw Grace and Charlie sitting with Kono and Meka. He let out a loud sigh as he looked at his kids. This was certainly not a conversation he was looking forward to having. He hated discipling the kids but he knew it was necessary. “Well, this won’t be fun.”

“That’s for sure but I’m glad we’re on the same page.” 

Danny looked at Steve and then took a deep breath. “Ok, let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. If you like, feel free to leave kudos or comments...they are always appreciated but not necessary.
> 
> Cheers!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. If you like, feel free to leave kudos or comments...they are always appreciated but not necessary.
> 
> Cheers!


End file.
